by Lisa Fleishman (Werewolf: The Apocalypse | The Face of Rage | Columns)
Duality rules the life of any Garou. Such is the curse, and the blessing of their existence. Not quite human, but not fully beast either, the Garou walk a tightrope of conflicting beliefs, heritage and lifestyle. This is the true drama of the Garou people and should be emphasized by the storyteller to add the richness and depth that Werewolf the Apocalypse deserves. The cultural complexity of the Garou nation is hard to rival. The history of their rise to greatness, and their fall from grace is epic in itself. In the times of the Apocalypse the lessons of the past have gone unheeded, and the Garou suffer from their own negligence, apathy, and biases. Also in this modern age, many Garou have separated from their spiritual roots. Again, they are dual natured, able to join with the spirit world, (the Umbra) yet live in a static one. The Garou can not be balanced without tending to both sides of their nature. In order to add a different and very rewarding dimension to Werewolf, the Storyteller should use elements of Garou spirituality in their games.
Azmursius gazed upon his young pupil. The pup was full of questions that begged for simple answers. The old wolf almost chuckled to himself; he could remember a time when he must have had the same look in his eye.
“But if Gaia is the creator of us all, then why can’t she defeat her enemies alone?” The young Garou questioned.
“We are her Rage given form in this place. For in this plain, we are the keepers of the land. Upon us she has bestowed a great honor, and an even greater responsibility. We are the hands of the Mother’s work.”
“Why us? Why not use great spirits to cleanse this realm?”
“We are, young Garou, we are…”
Spirituality n.;1. The quality or state of being spiritual; incorporeality; heavenly-mindedness. *
For the Garou people, spirituality is more than faith. Spirituality guides them in a secret war against powers that aren’t imaginable by the general populace. Unlike other beings in the World of Darkness, Garou know that there is a higher power. There is no questioning about whether the Earth Mother exists or not, they intuit it as easily as other people breathe. In the soul of each Garou is a fragment of Gaia that confirms their faith. Even the youngest pup understands that Gaia is real and that the fight to save her from the dark army of the Wyrm is of paramount importance. Gaia is the central focus of Garou religion. She is considered the Mother of all things to the Garou people. The Garou are her warriors, they are her children. Whether or not a character is religious, she is a servant of the Gaian faith. They are ministers to each other, deacons of their caerns, and crusaders of the cause.
Garou theology may be one of the few religions in the World of Darkness where faith is not a question, it is a fact. The Garou can’t help it, they know that Gaia is real. They know that other spirit creatures are real. Garou see the unseen everyday, while this has its rewards, it also has its detractions.
Remembering that the Garou are dual natured, their human half must be satisfied as well. Even the lupus and metis have some degree of humanity. The human mind may logically want to see evidence of the beyond, but there is always innate fears built into the human psyche that prey on the Garou at the most inconvenient of times. Creatures opposed to the Gaian faith will be quick to take advantage of these underlying terrors. Garou can be manipulated through their fears. If a Garou is not firm in her convictions, she can fall victim to a spiritual crisis. The most common would be harano, though there are other manifestations of such an attack. Alcoholism, addictions, or general blasé can be a sign that a Garou has seen too much. While they don’t forget their ties to Gaia, they can lose ambition to serve in her holy way. Even the most ardent follower can lose sight of the way if she ignores her own human nature. Posttraumatic stress plagues the Garou like a virus. The World of Darkness is a nasty place, and the human ego can only take so much before it breaks down. How can a Garou find the balance necessary to stay sane? Meditation, prayer, and even council with their fellow Garou would be some quick fixes. Because of their human/wolf fallibility, they are sure to have a spiritual crisis at some point in their lives. Perhaps the Garou fails to see the strides that are being made in the holy war, or perhaps she has suffered a great loss. At this point, it is critical for a Garou to be mentored through these difficulties, lest she become jaded and turn to the Wyrm. Perhaps the Garou needs evidence to assure her that her efforts are not in vain…
Shrieks of agony could be heard through out the Caern. It had be twenty hours since Meredith had begun to birth her first child. Sees the Stars stood under a pitch-black sky and sympathized with her sister’s plight. The first child was always the hardest. She looked to the constellations. The baby girl would be a trickster. Sees the Stars grinned at the trials that her mother would have to go through as the girl grew into womanhood. ‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘this girl will be a handful.’ One last cry of agony echoed through the night followed by the screams of new life. Sees the Stars started a howl of rejoicing. Another Garou had entered the world.
Cosmology is the study of the deeper meanings of life and Garou nature. Similar to Astrology, a Garou trained in this field can ascertain a ‘feel’ for the past, present and future. Though this is not a perfect science, it is a general guide for the Garou. Cosmology affects every Garou from the moment of their birth. Much like a bottle of wine, the Garou have a flavor depending on what moon and season they were born under, thus their auspice. Some Garou may scoff at the reading of the stars to determine the future. But much like the person who reads their daily horoscope, every Garou would like a sneak peek at their destiny. Garou Cosmology has evolved through the ages. Garou historians theorize that human Astrology found its start in Cosmology. The use of cosmology in Werewolf is a necessary ingredient to flavor the game. The storyteller can use this tool to hand down prophecies, parables and other mystic messages to the players. Entire campaigns can be designed around one reading. It can not be stressed enough that cosmology is essential to a well-rounded game. Examples of cosmology can be found in the Axis Mundi (ISBN 1-56504-315-4), Rage Across the Heavens (ISBN 1-56504-309-x), and many others.
Cosmology, it’s a beautiful thing, use it.
“And so by his own strength of soul and cunning, Tizoc Spirit Eyes bested the evil horde of Tlazolteotl who had sought the destruction of his pack,” finished Tonalttzin Metztli. The teller of tales looked across the campfire light into the eyes of his sept mates. “By the grace of Gaia, and by following our tonali, our destiny laid out by Brother Tizoc, we shall prevail.”
The howls of inspired Garou filled the night.
There was once a time when spirit was recognized in all things. Gods walked the earth and everything was considered to be sacred. In the modern world such things are forgotten to most. But, the Garou remember. There still is a place of mysticism and mystery. A place where there is awe for all things, and a profound sense of the balance of nature. This tiny flame is in the heart of every Garou. This is where their ancestors whisper to them of days past, and inspiration for the future is drawn. Mythology is more that the telling of heroes past, it is a teacher, mentor, and a keeper of the ways for the Garou people. Mythology is very important to the spirituality of the Garou people. It allows them to remember a golden age, where the Triat was in balance, and the Garou flourished. It also reminds them of their fall from ‘perfection’. There are many lessons to be learnt from Garou mythology. Mythology should be humbling, yet inspiring. Myths are an easy thing for a storyteller to create. Actual mythology can be used and adapted to a specific story, or the storyteller can craft something entirely new. Since the Garou are a storytelling people, myths should be an integral part of any campaign. Adding mythology to a story line enriches the plot by giving the characters something to strive for. By performing a task similar to one of their ancestors, the Garou can develop a great sense of victory, and more importantly they can garner hope for the future. A game that is run devoid of any hopes whatsoever runs the risk of being shallow. If a Garou has nothing left to gain, why would she bother to fight?
A well-dressed woman crossed the lobby of posh office complex. She entered the elevator and inserted a passkey that would allow her access to the top floor. As she ascended she could feel the hairs on her neck begin to stand on end. The doors opened with a faint hiss and she disembarked. To the normal eye the thirty-second floor looked like an exclusive law firm. But the businesswoman saw something else. She gave curt greetings to her associates as she passed them. She traversed to the far end of the building.
As she grew nearer to her destination she could almost hear the whisperings of the Mother. She paused in front of an office for a moment. She pulled at a heavy oaken door revealing the interior. There was a large conference table that ran the length of the room. The windows stretched from floor to ceiling giving a breath taking view of the city. In the corner sat a small water fountain and a few potted plants. The space looked like any other meeting room in the city, but she knew better. This was a place of peace and prayer. She loosened her suit jacket and knelt in front of the fountain dipping the tips of her fingers in the water. A small shiver ran up her spine. She made a small gesture of thanks to the Spirit who had recognized her presence. She bowed her head to meditate.
Caerns are considered to be the most holy of places to a Garou. A pack will stop at nothing to make sure that a caern does not become violated or discovered by outsiders. Why are caerns so important to Garou spirituality? They are sanctums, places of worship, and faith. Caerns are another tie to Gaia. The power of a caern allows a Garou to feel the spirit within her. Caerns come in many different forms and locales. A guardian like spirit inhabits them. The spirits that inhabit caerns can range from war-like attitudes to the philosophy of healers. Depending on the campaign, a caern spirit can be whatever the storyteller wishes. They can be highly vague and mysterious in their dealings with the Garou, or they can be very forthright. Caerns are the churches of the Garou people; they are places of comfort in a world that is decaying. There are few refuges for the Garou to flee to anymore, the caerns are the last places for the Garou to escape. Garou are tied to their caerns, they are necessary to the spiritual health of the Garou. Caerns are where all of the ritualizing and worshipping is performed. They are places of great happiness and sadness. They are where war councils make their final battle plans, and where great celebrations are held. They are holy, and a Garou that doesn’t treat a caern as such will be severely punished.
“You have dishonored your brothers, you have dishonored yourself,” cursed Words-of –Stone. The Garou in question hung his head in shame.
“Now we shall tell the spirits of your indiscretions!” The elder Garou began to sing a song of penalty as he threw offerings for the spirits into the fire. The pack sat motionless as the tale was spun. The spirits would be the judge of the punishment that the offending Garou would receive.
The Garou are highly ritualistic people. Rituals are magic, they are granted to the Garou for many purposes. Punishment and praise often comes in the form a ritual. Rites are what bind the Garou of all of the tribes together by giving them common ground. While different tribes might perform similar rituals in totally different fashions, rites are fairly universal in the Garou world. Rituals are another spiritual method of the Garou to keep the old ways and to explore their bonds with Gaia. Marriages, births, and funerals all have extensive rituals. Their ritualistic nature is one of the many reasons of why it is difficult for a Garou to breed outside of kin stock. Humans would not understand, and most likely would be scared to death of the seemingly primitive nature of some of the Garou’s rites. Rituals are essential to the spiritual well being of the Garou. They give balance and structure to the Garou psyche.
There are many ways of accomplishing this. First, know your characters. Talk to your players about the character’s likes and dislikes. What are their goals? What does the war for Gaia mean to them? Make your players think about the true motivations behind their character’s actions. Maybe have them write out a mission statement based on the character’s personality. Breathe life into that character. Focus on what is important to that character. Sure, they all want to save the world, but what are their immediate goals. When you have established that, think of scenarios that would be fitting to the characters, and entertaining to the players. Add the concept of spirituality in gradually. Remind the players that their characters are very spiritual, even if at first glance they don’t appear to be. All Garou are spiritual, it is a basis for what they are. If a character tries to ignore that part of herself, make her suffer the consequences. Perhaps they find it very difficult to summon a spirit, or enter the Umbra. Add depth to your characters and it will add flavor to your game.
* Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1996
